A marketing funnel is a model that maps out the journey a customer takes from discovering your brand to making a purchase – and ideally, becoming a loyal customer. The typical stages are:
- Awareness – They discover you exist.
- Interest – They start looking into what you offer.
- Decision – They weigh their options and consider buying.
- Action – They buy (or take your desired action).
Some funnels also include post-purchase stages like loyalty and advocacy, especially in retention-focused strategies. The funnel helps marketers design campaigns and messaging that are tailored to each stage. For instance, someone at the awareness stage might need educational content, while someone closer to buying needs reviews, testimonials, or a discount code.
See: What Does a Marketing Strategy Actually Look Like? – Marketing Made Clear article